•Historic temple attracts lacks of devotees
•Temple to be opened on Thursday
•Temple to be closed on November 1.
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•Special passes cost Rs. 300
The Hassan district administration has attracted criticism from people’s representatives and mediapersons over preparations for the Hasanamba festival beginning on Thursday. While former Prime Minister and national president of Janata Dal (Secular) H.D. Deve Gowda has asked his party MLAs to visit the temple as commoners, Hassan District Working Journalists Association has refused to use special media passes meant for visiting the temple.
Mr. Deve Gowda, who was in Hassan on Wednesday, told presspersons that he was aware how the district administration had ignored his party MLA in conducting the festival. “I have told the Hassan MLA to visit the temple as a common man, without taking a special pass. My wife had plans to visit the temple on Thursday when the doors are opened. But, I told her to visit the temple only after a few days when the queue would be shorter”.
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The JD(S) leaders are angry with Hassan DC V. Chaitra for not inviting Hassan MLA H.S. Prakash for meetings convened over preparations for the festival. Mr.Prakash said, “I am president of the temple’s rejuvenation committee. I have not been called even once to discuss the preparations.”
The district administration, on Tuesday, had invited mediapersons to the temple, where senior officers were present to inspect the preparations. However, the DC refused to speak to the media, forcing the media personnel to leave the place. Hassan District Working Journalists Association held a meeting on the day and adopted a resolution condemning the DC’s conduct. The association wondered where was the need to invite the media if the DC had no intention to speak to reporters.
This time, the administration has decided to hire the services of ex-army men for security on the temple premises. The move has not gone down well with a section of police officers. As many as 45 ex-army men would manage the crowd within the temple, while police would be posted outside. However, Superintendent of Police R.K. Shahapurwad maintained that ex-servicemen were involved as part of people’s participation in the smooth conduct of the festival.
Additional SP Shobharani will monitor security around the temple. Three DySPs, nine CPIs and 25 PSI, besides constables, would be on duty. “The police staff would be on duty round the clock”, he said.